I was invited to try out TGI Fridays’ new menu with a bunch of bloggers last week, and boy, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. I had just recovered from a terrible cold – sore throat, non-stop sneezing followed by blocked nose and a slight fever that lasted for a few days. So this food testing was like a little celebration for me after 4 days of eating nothing but porridge and soups and warm apple cider vinegar with honey. Weee!

We went to TGI Fridays at The Curve. I haven’t been there in ages and didn’t even know they had revamped their outlet. I like it! It looks urban and feels more…. homey (I think because of the frames).

Their latest promo. Handcrafted crusted ribs!

I don’t know about you, but the words crusted and ribs just made me drool. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth in them.

And then behold, the star of the show – beef bacon crusted ribs, served with crispy seasoned fries and coleslaw. I mean really, just reading it is enough to make me salivate!

This rack of ribs is cooked to perfection, glazed with smokey BBQ sauce and crusted with crispy beef bacon. The ribs were so tender and just kind of fell off the bone, and the crispy beef bacon adds a yummy crunchy texture to it. You beef lovers would love this!

And then we had this Texas spiced lamb ribs, also served with crispy seasoned fries and coleslaw. You can either choose lamb ribs, beef ribs or beef short ribs for this.

Ok honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like this particular dish because I’m not really a fan of lamb meat. They have this funny “sheep” smell which I don’t like. I even thought, “Ok, maybe I’ll just have 1-2 bites of this ribs, just to be polite”. But OMG, this lamb ribs exceeded my expectation. So juicy and tender and tasty and no funny sheep smell! Hehe.

These lamb ribs are fire-grilled and crusted with a flavourful blend of Texas herbs and spices. It’s bone-licking good! I even had 2 of those.

We ended our meal with some desserts (why, of course).

Molten Chocolate Cake

Oreo Stack

And my favorite, Brownie Obsession.

Such a satisfying meal *rubs tummy*.

I’m sorry if my pictures are torturing you, but you can always go to your nearest TGI Fridays to satisfy your ribs craving. But better be hurry because this promo is for a limited time only!

Went to check out the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 at senQ in IOI Mall the other day.

My girls thought those were real people from afar

I love spacious store environment like this. I can spend hours just browsing around and testing everything they have!

Now let’s take a closer look at the Note 4.

They have it in black and white. If I were to choose, I’d definitely go for white.

To be honest, that was the first time I actually set my eyes on Galaxy Note 4. Just like the previous Notes, the Galaxy Note 4 also comes with the S pen but with improved digital handwriting experience through enhanced pressure sensitivity. It feels like writing with a real pen!

Of course the first function I tested was… the camera. Man, the screen is so wide with 5.7″ Quad HD Super AMOLED display. You selfie junkies would love it. Luas pemandangan!

Was told by this friendly sales assistant about the 1% Aeon low interest rate where you can get the Galaxy Note 4 for RM129 per month on installment plan. On top of that, they are also giving extra 1 year PlusOne warranty and a complimentary Dual Car Charger worth RM69. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

I’ve been trying a few healthy pancake recipes lately (mostly from healthy eating Instagram accounts), and this whole wheat oatmeal pancakes from Sally’s baking addiction is my favorite so far.

These pancakes are made using whole wheat flour, oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk. Pretty much all the good stuff. They’re soft, thick, fluffy, moist with a tinge of cinnamon, which I totally love. And because they are whole wheat, they are more filling than the usual pancakes.

I used this organic wholemeal (or whole wheat – they’re the same) flour

My girls loved them too. Of course I had to throw a few chocolate chunks in their pancakes (ok fine, in mine too) because that’s how they like their pancakes – chocolatey. I guess a little bit of chocolate won’t hurt?

The most basic step to make pancake batter is to combine the dry and wet ingredients separately. You want to break up all the flour lumps first before combining with the wet mixture. You can sift the dry ingredients if you want. Otherwise, stirring them well would do just fine.

Another secret to fluffy pancakes that I’ve learned is not to over mix your pancake batter. Over-mixing leads to flat, chewy, cardboard-like pancakes (been there, done that) which is a BIG no. I remember making pancakes for the very first time years ago. I just dumped in ALL of the ingredients in a blender and zap away! That was the worst pancakes I’ve ever eaten. I learned my pancake lesson now.

You want to stir the batter gently, just until the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. A little bit of lumps is okay.

I prefer to add chocolate chunks/chips while cooking each pancake, instead of adding them in the pancake batter. I find that they burn easily with the latter method. So what I always do is, I pour the pancake batter first onto a pan (make sure it’s hot and coated with oil), and then I add the chocolate chunks/chips on top. Kind of like sprinkling it. Then flip it over. The result is yummy pancakes with melted chocolate chunks/chips inside.

There. Perfect for your weekend breakfast. Or brunch. Or dinner, if you must.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients – whole wheat flour, oats, ground cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In another bowl (I prefer to use measuring jug tho), whisk the almond milk and egg together, then add brown sugar, vanilla essence and Greek yogurt. Whisk until there are no lumps.

Make a well in your dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently stir the batter just until the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. Remember not to over mix it.

Heat up your pan and coat it with oil. Once it’s hot, pour about 2 tablespoons of batter onto the pan. Sprinkle with some chocolate chunks/chips if you want. Cook for about 1 minute, then flip to the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes before transferring it to a plate. Repeat until the batter is finished (you need to coat your pan with oil for each pancake you cook).

Ok guys, I know I’ve been a very bad blogger lately. I haven’t been updating my blog in ages! Sorry about that. It’s just that I’ve been a bit busy (and super exhausted being a SAHM) and umm… I got so addicted to Instagram that I’ve kinda forgotten about my blog. Tee hee. Plus, we just got back from our family trip last week so that explains my short hiatus. Will blog about the trip soon.

Right now, I’ve some awesome news for you guys. I’m giving away my ultimate beauty product; the one that I’ve been using for the past 4 years – the amazing SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 75ml (worth RM229) to 5 of my lucky followers!

Here’s what you need to do:

1) Go to SK-II Pitera House at The Square, Publika.

2) Take a selfie photo of yourself at the SK-II Pitera House (or get someone to take a photo of you).

Well, something like this.

3) Upload your selfie photo on your Instagram and include these hashtags: #izachangeskindestiny and #skiipiterahousemy. Remember to tag me to your photo as well (make sure your account is not private).

That’s it! This contest has been running since last Tuesday (7th Oct) and will end on 14th October 2014, which is next Tuesday. Still got time!

In case you’re wondering what the heck is a Pitera House, it’s actually SK-II’s first ever pop-up store that features a Discovery Gallery where visitors could discover and learn more about SK-II. If you’re new to SK-II, you really gotta come here (and join the selfie contest)! If you’re already an SK-II user, you should swing by too because they’re having promotions on their products – both women and men.

I went to the launch of the Pitera House yesterday. There were personal skin stories from local celebs and supermodels, as well as a mini concert, featuring Atilia Haron and Fynn Jamal. And there were macarons too! Heh heh #foodiealert.

Dragged my husband to the event as well because he has been neglecting his skin so I was hoping he would at least terbuka hati to cleanse his face because he didn’t even use any skincare product (men, right). Bila naik pimple seketul baru nak cemas huhhh.

Inside the Pitera House

Checking out the Discovery Gallery. I was given a simple quiz and was told that there’d be a mystery gift if I manage to answer all correctly (I got all correct and received SK-II photo album wee!).

Here’s an interesting experiment using apples and banana slices to show how SK-II Facial Treatment Essence protects the skin from oxidation.

As you can see, one half of the apple turned brown after being exposed to the air within a few minutes compared to the other half apple that was dipped with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (FTE). And the banana slice that was soaked in SK-II FTE was protected from oxidation and almost didn’t turn brown at all as compared to the ones in water and brand X essence. This concept applies to our skin as well. SK-II FTE helps to protect our skin from free radicals that can cause pigmentation, spots, wrinkles, aging and dull complexion. It’s never too late to start using FTE guys!

There’s also Magic Ring test which is an in-depth skin analysis based on your skin’s texture refinement, firmness power, spot control, wrinkle resilience and radiance enhancement. It could even determine your skin’s age!

*ehem* Hello my name is Iza and I’m a 24-year-old mom of 2 girls. Hehe

I didn’t know SK-II has CC Cream as well! Must be their new product. Tested it on my skin and I’m liking the light texture and coverage.

My husband also did the Magic Ring test and I managed to hasut him to try some of the men’s product. Now let’s just hope he’s rajin to use them everyday.

If you want to find out more on how you can take charge of your skin’s destiny and transform your skin to crystal clear, do come to the SK-II Pitera House at The Square, Publika from 10am to 10pm. You can get a complimentary skin check with the Magic Ring test and join the selfie contest to win yourself a bottle of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. It’s only for a week, guys. Don’t miss this chance!

I will pick the 5 most creative and beautiful shots and the winners will be announced on my Instagram on 21st October 2014.

So there was Petrosains Science Festival in KLCC last week. Did you guys know?

It was a week-long festival, happening from 15th to 21st September 2014, and it was open to everyone.

I got the chance to attend the media launch of this Science Festival at Petrosains KLCC the other day. This festival was launched by Yang Berhormat Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, Deputy Minister of Education 1.

This year’s Science Festival theme is ‘Music, Arts and Science’ with hope to attract and inspire the public to understand science with a broader appreciation that includes science and arts. Visitors can expect various fun and educational activities for children, youth and parents alike, such as hands-on science workshops, immersive talks and forums, entertaining music and performances, and colorful displays of artworks.

I think this is a great way to encourage people especially children and youth to appreciate science because science is all around us and this festival could give them a holistic and enriching experience.

There was also a live performance that combined music, art and science at the media launch. I thought it was cool!

Some of the fun activities at the festival include baking (cheesy cheesecake, cupcake art, yummy cookies), pop-up art cards, under the microscope, world of robot martial art (LEGO Mindstorms), shadow puppet creation and many many more.